Benefits Of Hammer Toe Surgery
A hammer toe is a foot abnormality characterized by the downward curling or bending of your big toe. Nonetheless, the condition may occur in multiple toes. The condition usually occurs due to wearing poorly fitting footwear that applies excess pressure on your toes. While treating this deformity may include wearing orthotic footwear, consider surgical treatment. Here are some of the pros of hammer toe surgery.
Improved Mobility
A hammer toe may cause discomfort and severe pain when walking. This may limit your mobility, prompting the use of assistive devices like wheelchairs. This may affect the quality of your life negatively. The following surgical techniques can fix your mobility issues:
- Tendon transfer. Doctors usually apply this technique on a flexible hammer toe. The process entails pulling the tendons close to the curled toe's top to straighten the joint.
- Joint resection. This hammer toe surgery is ideal for a fixed hammer toe. The surgery entails cutting the tendons and ligaments around the bent toe or removing the bent bone. Then, the installation of temporary pins to support your toe in the proper position may follow. Once your toe heals, your doctor may remove these pins.
- Fusion. This technique works for a severe hammer toe. Surgeons may remove the affected joint portions and place temporary or permanent pins to keep your toes in the correct position.
These surgeries restore your toes' position, allowing for comfortable movement. So, you can walk or run effortlessly, which improves life quality.
Aesthetic Benefits
Since hammer toe surgery is invasive, you may avoid it due to potential risks such as scarring. However, the risks outweigh the benefits. For instance, you enjoy instant aesthetic benefits after you heal from your surgery. Your toes become straight, and you can wear sandals more confidently.
Likewise, these results may be permanent if you follow your doctor's advice, including wearing more spacious shoes. Besides, if you get a qualified surgeon to perform the surgery, this minimizes the risks significantly.
Cost Savings
Ignoring a hammer toe may lead to further bending of your toes. This may require more complicated and costly treatments. For instance, you may need expensive foot orthotics or pain medication to stop hammer toe pain or soreness. Additionally, a severe hammer toe may require multiple surgeries. So, getting hammer toe surgery at the right time can rectify your foot deformity at its initial stages, which saves you money.
Hammer toe surgery offers aesthetic benefits and cost savings and improves mobility. Consider undergoing this surgical treatment to enjoy these benefits.
To learn more about hammer toe surgery, contact a podiatrist in your area.